IBS flare up duration is different for everyone. Most people's IBS symptoms will flare-up for 2-4 days, after which your symptoms may lower in severity or disappear completely. Many people experience IBS in waves, in which symptoms may come and go over several days or weeks.
IBS is a chronic condition that may be lifelong. Doctors do not completely understand how it develops or how to cure it. Treatment aims to relieve symptoms. Flare-ups of symptoms tend to come and go over time and can last for days, weeks, or months.
A typical flare up usually lasts between 2-4 days but can be much longer. However, taking action to calm a flare up can shorten the time you experience symptoms.
When experiencing an IBS attack you can feel bloated and gassy (flatulence). You can also experience pain or cramps in your lower abdomen and feel an urgency to go to the toilet, alongside a change in bowel movements, including constipation, diarrhoea or alternating bouts of both constipation and diarrhoea.
Alosetron (Lotronex) or Lubiprostone (Amitiza) are two common IBS medications. Antispasmodics: These are designed to relax the smooth muscles of the colon to ease cramping and spasms. Two such medications are hyoscine (Levsin) and dicyclomine (Bentyl).
Your provider may recommend or prescribe these medications to treat IBS-D: OTC fiber supplements, such as psyllium (Metamucil) and calcium polycarbophil (FiberCon) OTC loperamide (Imodium A-D) Eluxadoline (Viberzi)
While we don't know what causes IBS, we do know that flare-ups are often triggered by food, caffeine, stress, carbonated drinks, artificial sugars, or infectious diarrhea. The more IBS episodes you have, the more sensitive your gut becomes to triggers.
If you have IBS with diarrhea, you will have frequent, loose, watery stools. You may have an urgent need to have a bowel movement, which may be hard to control. If you have IBS with constipation, you will have a hard time passing stool, as well as fewer bowel movements.
The chronic pain (pain lasting 6 months or longer) in IBS can be felt anywhere in the abdomen (belly), though is most often reported in the lower abdomen. It may be worsened soon after eating, and relieved or at times worsened after a bowel movement. It is not always predictable and may change over time.
Include plenty of probiotic-rich foods like kimchi, kombucha, miso, or sauerkraut. Sometimes, you can also eat yogurt if you are not allergic to dairy. Try unsweetened sheep or goat yogurt. These are all foods that help your gut flora get and stay healthy.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be difficult to manage. Flares or episodes are common in IBS which can cause a sudden worsening of symptoms or illness. Often, flares will occur even after you have been diagnosed and are on a treatment plan.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that affects the large intestine. It can be extremely painful with symptoms like cramping, bloating, or constipation. In more mild cases, an urgent care visit may be suitable for your IBS. If you feel as though you are experiencing a medical emergency, make sure to call 911.
It is well known that dietary FODMAPs can trigger gut symptoms in people with IBS. However, as FODMAPs have their effects mostly in the small and large intestine, it usually takes at least 4 hours after eating a high FODMAP meal for FODMAP-related symptoms to occur (see blog on timing of symptoms here).
Find Relief for an IBS Flareup
If the symptoms aren't addressed, they can progress and develop into headaches, joint or muscle pain, anxiety or depression, frequent urination, and brain fog. Flare-ups can come on suddenly and can be triggered by stress or eating the wrong types of food.
Snuggle up in bed and allow yourself to rest whenever you can. Try some gentle movement to help ease gas and stomach pains. Eat low FODMAP foods for a few days to ease your way through the flare (see below for more on how to do this). Read more about the low FODMAP diet for IBS – What is the FODMAP diet?
Water intake might be associated with improvement of IBS through affecting GI function. Water intake might improve constipation among IBS-C patients. In addition, drinking water is a common suggestion for IBS-D patients to prevent diarrhea-induced dehydration.
Some common at-home treatments for IBS include relaxation exercises, hypnotherapy, physical activity, dietary changes, applying heat, and consuming peppermint oil or other supplements (such as prebiotics and probiotics).
For individuals with constipation-predominant IBS, a soluble fiber supplement (Metamucil or others containing psyllium) can be helpful.
Don't eat late at night
This means that if you eat before sleeping, you're more likely to experience IBS symptoms because your digestive system is less able to cope with food. So, try to avoid food after 8pm and see if this helps your symptoms.
Why fasting might improve IBS. If your symptoms occur as a response to eating — such as gas, bloating, or diarrhea after eating — Warren says that longer fasting periods (or structured meal spacing) may be useful in managing these types of symptoms. That's because fasting patterns can help promote the MMC mechanism.